HARNESS RACING—CAM FELLA, Pat Crowe in the sulky, survived several challenges down the stretch in the third and final one-mile heat to win the $259,578 Messenger Stakes at Roosevelt Raceway. The 3-year-old pacer took the decisive heat in 1:59 to beat Icarus Lobell by half a length.

HOCKEY—With five goals from Dino Ciccarelli, Minnesota, Norris Division co-leader with Chicago, remained the league's only unbeaten team at 4-0-1. Ciccarelli tallied twice in a 6-2 triumph over winless Toronto and then scorched the Calgary Flames three times—it was his seventh career hat trick—in an 8-4 Minnesota win. He ended Week 2 with eight goals, tying him with Quebec's Peter Stastny for the goals lead. In the tough Patrick Division, the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers shared first. The Islanders opened the week by rallying from a 3-0 gap against the New York Rangers to win on two third-period goals from Mike Bossy. At home against Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, the Isles had 9-0 and 4-1 wins. That gave them a five-game victory streak and a regular-season unbeaten string of 25 games at Nassau Coliseum. Butch Goring had four goals in the last two wins, including a hat trick against the Penguins. The big news in the game against L.A. was the debut of Kings Center Victor Nechaev, the first Soviet to skate in the NHL. Two nights later, against the Rangers, Nechaev scored in a 5-3 L.A. victory. Philly's only loss was 5-2 to the Rangers, giving New York Goalie John Davidson his first victory in more than a year. And yes, upstart New Jersey was still hot. The Devils finally lost—5-3 to surging Montreal—but otherwise they did some damage, tying Boston 2-2 and edging Pittsburgh 6-5 on Hector Marini's score with 38 seconds left. Les Canadiens, leading the Adams by two points over Boston, bowled over the Devils despite injuries to red-hot Guy Lafleur (nine points in the first four games), Larry Robinson and Rejean Houle. Mark Napier took up the slack with two goals. When the trio returned against the Rangers, it was Doug Wickenheiser who shone with a hat trick in an 8-2 victory. Hartford had reason to cheer. The Whalers won their first of the season—6-5 over winless Vancouver, Pierre Larouche getting three goals and Ron Francis tying a club record with five assists. Rookie Phil Housley had a goal and 3 assists in Buffalo's 6-4 icing of Edmonton. In the Smythe, second-place Winnipeg lost to division-leading L.A. 5-3 when Bernie Nichols got two garbage goals and rookie Goalie Gary Laskowski made 37 saves.

Highland Park ($7.60), ridden by John Lively, won a stretch duel with Caveat by a nose to win the $150,000 Breeder's Futurity at Keeneland Race Course. The 2-year-old colt ran the 1[1/16] miles in a stakes-record 1:43[4/5].

MOTOR SPORTS—DARRELL WALTRIP, in a Buick, averaged 71.315 mph to win a NASCAR 500-mile event on the .525-mile Martinsville (Va.) Speedway oval. He beat Ricky Rudd in a Pontiac by two seconds to take over the NASCAR point lead from Bobby Allison with three races remaining.

MILEPOSTS—FILED: In San Francisco Superior Court, a civil suit by Victoria Brick, 22, against former University of San Francisco basketball star Quintin Dailey, 21, and the school for general and punitive damages stemming from Dailey's actions in her USF dorm room on Dec. 21, 1981. Dailey has already pleaded guilty to criminal aggravated assault charges resulting from the incident and was sentenced to three years' probation last August.

FIRED: By the Seattle Seahawks, Coach JACK PATERA, 49, who guided the Seahawks to a 35-59 record in slightly more than six seasons, and General Manager JOHN THOMPSON, 53. Patera was replaced on an interim basis by Mike McCormack, 51.

FOLDED: The NASL Edmonton Drillers, Western Division outdoor titlists in 1980 and indoor champs in 1981. The Drillers demise leaves the NASL with only 13 teams for the 1983 outdoor season.

HIRED: As manager of the Montreal Expos, former Pittsburgh Pirate, New York Yankee and Houston Astro skipper BILL VIRDON, 51. He signed a two-year contract for a reported $200,000 per season, with a one-year option.

REINSTATED: To Jim Thorpe, by the International Olympic Committee, amateur status and, therefore, the Olympic gold medals Thorpe won in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics. The reinstatement ended a 70-year dispute between Thorpe's family and other supporters and the IOC, which had taken away his medals when it was discovered that he had played professional baseball before competing in the Olympics (page 48).

SOLD: By the Chicago White Sox, 72-year-old Comiskey Park, site of the Sox home games, to Chicago investors for $12.5 million. The sale occurred last month and was not revealed until Oct. 14. The Sox will lease the stadium from the investors.

To Detroit businessman Sonny Van Arnem, the JACKSONVILLE TEA MEN of the NASL for $ 1.5 million. The Tea Men, 11-21 this season, will be rechristened the Detroit Express, the name used by the ASL team Van Arnem also owns. He is now trying to relocate his ASL franchise.

SUSPENDED: By the NHL for eight games without pay, Minnesota North Star Right Wing Willi Plett, 27, for what the league called "intent to injure" when Plett struck Detroit Goalie Greg Stefan on the back of the neck with his stick on Oct. 8.